Three dimensional perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction with thin film transistor array

ABSTRACT

A three dimensional magnetic random access memory array that includes a sourceline formed on a substrate and a magnetic memory element pillar that includes a plurality of magnetic memory element pillars formed over the substrate. The three dimensional magnetic random access memory array also includes a transistor formed between the magnetic memory element pillar, the transistor being functional to electrically connect the sourceline and magnetic memory element pillar. A plurality of magnetic memory element pillars may be formed over the substrate with a transistor between each memory element pillar to selectively connect or disconnect each of the magnetic memory element pillars. The transistor can include an epitaxial semiconductor structure having a gate dielectric formed at a side of the epitaxial semiconductor and a gate material formed on the gat dielectric such that the gate dielectric material is between the gate material and the semiconductor material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to magnetic random access memory (MRAM),and more particularly to three-dimensional perpendicular magnetic tunneljunction with an epitaxially grown thin film transistor for source lineselection.

BACKGROUND

Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) is a non-volatile data memorytechnology that stores data using magnetoresistive cells, such asMagnetoresistive Tunnel Junction (MTJ) elements. At their most basiclevel, such MTJ elements include first and second magnetic layers thatare separated by a thin, non-magnetic tunnel barrier layer, which may beconstructed of an insulating barrier material, such as MgO, Al₂O₃, etc.The first magnetic layer, which may be referred to as a reference layer,has a magnetization that is fixed in a direction that is perpendicularto that of a plane of the layer. The second magnetic layer has amagnetization that is free to move so that it may be oriented in eitherof two directions that are both generally perpendicular to the plane ofthe free magnetic layer. Therefore, the magnetization of the free layermay be either parallel with the magnetization of the reference layer oranti-parallel with the direction of the reference layer (i.e., oppositeto the direction of the reference layer).

The electrical resistance through the MTJ element in a directionperpendicular to the planes of the layers changes with the relativeorientations of the magnetizations of the magnetic reference layer andmagnetic free layer. When the magnetization of the magnetic free layeris oriented in the same direction as the magnetization of the magneticreference layer, the electrical resistance through the MTJ element is atits lowest electrical resistance state. Conversely, when themagnetization of the magnetic free layer is in a direction that isopposite to that of the magnetic reference layer, the electricalresistance across the MTJ element is at its highest electricalresistance state.

The switching of the MTJ element between high and low resistance statesresults from electron spin transfer. Each electron has a spinorientation. Generally, electrons flowing through a conductive materialhave random spin orientations with no net spin orientation. However,when electrons flow through a magnetized layer, the spin orientations ofthe electrons become aligned so that there is a net aligned orientationof electrons flowing through the magnetic layer, and the orientation ofthis alignment is dependent on the orientation of the magnetization ofthe magnetic layer through which they travel. When the orientations ofthe magnetizations of the free layer and the reference layer areoriented in the same direction, the spin of the electrons in the freelayer are generally in the same direction as the orientation of the spinof the electrons in the reference layer. Because these electron spinsare generally in the same direction, the electrons may pass relativelyeasily through the tunnel barrier layer. However, if the orientations ofthe magnetizations of the free layer and the reference layer areopposite to one another, the spin of electrons in the free layer willgenerally be opposite to the spin of electrons in the reference layer.In this case, electrons do not easily pass through the barrier layer,resulting in a higher electrical resistance through the MTJ stack.

Because the MTJ element may be switched between low and high electricalresistance states, it may be used as a memory element to store data. Forexample, the low resistance state may be read as a “1” or one, whereasthe high resistance state may be read as a “0” or zero. In addition,because the magnetic orientation of the magnetic free layer remains inits switched state without any electrical power being provided to theelement, the memory storage provided by the MTJ element is robust andnon-volatile.

To write a bit of data to the MTJ cell, the magnetic orientation of themagnetic free layer is switched from a first direction to a seconddirection that is 180° from the first direction. This may beaccomplished, for example, by applying a current through the MTJ elementin a direction that is perpendicular to the planes of the layers of theMTJ element. An electrical current applied in one direction will switchthe magnetization of the free layer to a first orientation, whereas anelectrical current applied in a second direction will switch themagnetic of the free layer to a second, opposite orientation.

Once the magnetization of the free layer has been switched by thecurrent, the state of the MTJ element may be read by detecting a voltageacross the MTJ element, thereby determining whether the MTJ element isin a “1” or “0” bit state. Advantageously, once the switching electricalcurrent has been removed, the magnetic state of the free layer willremain in the switched orientation until some other time when anelectrical current is applied to switch the MTJ element to the oppositestate. Therefore, the recorded data bit is non-volatile in that itremains intact (the magnetic orientation of the free layer does notchange) in the absence of any electrical current being supplied.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a magnetic random access array thatincludes a substrate with a sourceline formed therein and furtherincludes a pillar structure having a plurality of memory elements. Atransistor, which includes an epitaxial semiconductor material islocated between the pillar structure and the sourceline, the transistorbeing functional to selectively electrically connect the pillarstructure with the sourceline.

The magnetic random access array can include a plurality of pillarstructures each including a plurality of magnetic memory elements. Eachof the plurality of magnetic memory elements can be electricallyconnected with an individual transistor located between the pillarstructure and the sourceline, so that the transistors can be used toselect individual pillar structures for activation either to read orwrite data.

The transistor can include an epitaxial semiconductor material and agate dielectric and gate material layer formed at a side of thesemiconductor material such that the gate dielectric layer is locatedbetween the gate material and the semiconductor material. Thesemiconductor can be Si. The gate dielectric can be one or more of SiO₂,HfO₂, Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂. The gate dielectric can be one or more of W, TiNi,TaN, TiN and Ti.

The magnetic random access memory array may can be constructed by aprocess that includes forming a sourceline in a semiconductor substrate,and depositing a dielectric layer over the substrate. A gate materialcan be deposited over the dielectric layer, and a dielectric fillmaterial can be deposited. An etching can be performed to form at leastone opening in the dielectric fill layer and gate material in at leastone region over the sourceline. Then, an epitaxial semiconductormaterial can be deposited into the opening.

The semiconductor material can be Si. After growing the epitaxialsemiconductor, a chemical mechanical polishing process (CMP) can beperformed to planarize the surface and remove excess semiconductormaterial. After performing the CMP, a pillar structure can be formedover the semiconductor material, the pillar structure can be formed toinclude a plurality of magnetic memory elements separated from oneanother by buffer layers. The magnetic memory elements of the pillarstructures can be perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (TMJ) elements.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will beapparent to one of skill in the art upon reading of the followingdetailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the figures.In the figures, like reference numerals used in more than one figureindicate a like element, and may be considered in light of thedescription of the like element presented in any of the other figureshaving the like element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of thisinvention, as well as the preferred mode of use, reference should bemade to the following detailed description read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. The drawings are not presented to scale unlessspecified otherwise on an individual basis.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional view of aportion of a magnetic memory element, which may be used in embodimentsof the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional view of aportion of a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) that includes amagnetoresistive cell, which may be used in embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 3A is a schematic representation of a bird's eye view of a verticalchannel of a portion of a MRAM, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a schematic representation of a bird's eye view of multiplevertical channels of a portion of a magnetic memory device, according toone embodiment.

FIG. 3C a schematic representation of a cross-sectional view of aportion of a MRAM, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3D is magnified view of Circle 3D from FIG. 3C.

FIG. 3E is magnified view of Circle 3E from FIG. 3C.

FIG. 3F is a top-down view of the magnetic memory device of FIG. 3C,according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a schematic representation of a transistor pattern during aRead Operation of a MRAM, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4B is a schematic representation of a transistor pattern during aWrite Operation of a MRAM, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5A is a flow chart of a method, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 5B is a continued flowchart from FIG. 5A of a method, in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIGS. 6A-6F are schematic representations of the operations of a method,in accordance with one embodiment.

FIGS. 7A-7B are schematic representations of cross-sectional views of aMRAM, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a method, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a method, according to oneembodiment.

FIGS. 10-20 are schematic representations of a wafer in variousintermediate stages of manufacture illustrating a method formanufacturing a magnetic memory array having epitaxially growntransistors for source line selection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description includes the best embodiments presentlycontemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is madefor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of this inventionand is not meant to limit the inventive concepts claimed herein in anyway.

According to one general embodiment, a method of forming a magneticdevice includes forming a source region including a first semiconductormaterial having a first conductivity, forming an array ofthree-dimensional structures above the substrate, depositing a channelmaterial on a surface of at least one sidewall of each three-dimensionalstructure, depositing a gate dielectric material on the channel materialon the surface of at least one sidewall of each three dimensionalstructure, forming a first isolation region in the cavity region abovethe substrate, forming a first gate region above the first isolationregion in the cavity region, and forming a second isolation region abovethe first gate region, wherein a n^(th) gate region is formed above a(n+1) isolation region thereafter until a top of the array ofthree-dimensional structures, wherein each n^(th) gate region is coupledto each n^(th) perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction sensor of eachthree-dimensional structure.

In addition, forming each three dimensional structure includes forminglayers above the source region in an order as follows: a first bufferlayer, a dielectric layer, a second buffer layer, a firstperpendicular-magnetic tunnel junction sensor, a third buffer layer, an^(th) perpendicular-magnetic tunnel junction sensor, a (n+2)^(th)buffer layer, and defining an array of three-dimensional structures inthe formed layers, wherein each three-dimensional structure comprises astack of formed layers in a vertical direction above the substrate,wherein each three-dimensional structure has a bottom at the substrate,a top, and a sidewall extending between the bottom and the top, whereina cavity region is formed between the sidewall of each adjacentthree-dimensional structure.

Referring to FIG. 1, a magnetic memory element 100 is shown according toone embodiment. The memory element 100 may be used in a perpendicularmagnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) memory element, as described in variousembodiments herein. The memory element 100 may include a magnetic tunneljunction (MTJ) 102 that may include a magnetic reference layer 104, amagnetic free layer 106, and a thin, non-magnetic,electrically-insulating magnetic barrier layer 108 positioned betweenthe reference layer 104 and the free layer 106 in a film thicknessdirection 140. The barrier layer 108 may include an oxide, such as MgO,Al₂O₃, etc., or some other suitable material known in the art.

The reference layer 104 has a magnetization 110 that is fixed in adirection that is perpendicular to a horizontal plane of the layer, asindicated by the arrow. The horizontal plane is sometimes referred to asa plane of formation in the embodiments described herein. The referencelayer 104 may include CoFeB30 or CoFeB40, or some other suitablematerial known in the art.

The free layer 106 has a magnetization 112 that may be in either of twodirections perpendicular to a horizontal plane of the free layer 106, asindicated by the two arrows. The free layer 106 may includeCoFeB20/W/CoFeB20, or some other suitable material known in the art.While the magnetization 112 of the free layer 106 remains in either oftwo directions perpendicular to the plane of the free layer 106 in aquiescent state, it may be selectably switched between these twodirections, as is described in greater detail herein. When themagnetization 112 of the free layer 106 is in the same direction as themagnetization 110 of the reference layer 104, the electrical resistanceacross the MTJ 102 is at a low resistance state. Conversely, when themagnetization 112 of the free layer 106 is opposite to the magnetization110 of the reference layer 104, the electrical resistance across the MTJ102 is in a high resistance state.

The reference layer 104 may be part of an anti-parallel magnetic pinningstructure 114 that may include a magnetic pinned layer 116 and anon-magnetic, antiparallel coupling layer 118 positioned between thepinned layer 116 and the reference layer 104 in the film thicknessdirection 140. The antiparallel coupling layer 118 may comprise anysuitable material known in the art, such as Ru or a Ru/cobalt stack, andmay be constructed to have a thickness that causes ferromagneticantiparallel coupling of the pinned layer 116 and the reference layer104. In some approaches, the pinned layer 116 may be a ferromagneticlayer, such as molybdenum (Mo) or cobalt (Co) coupled to reference layer104 through antiparallel coupling layer 118.

In one approach, the pinned layer 116 may be exchange coupled with anantiferromagnetic layer 120, which may comprise any suitable materialknown in the art, such as IrMn. In some approaches, the AFM layer may bea series of layers of synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) materials, forexample a SAF seed layer that includes platinum (Pt) and a set of SAFlayers comprising alternating cobalt (Co)/Pt.

Exchange coupling between the antiferromagnetic layer 120 and the pinnedlayer 116 strongly pins the magnetization 122 of the pinned layer 116 ina first direction. The antiparallel coupling between the pinned layer116 and the reference layer 104 pins the magnetization 110 of thereference layer 104 in a second direction opposite to the direction ofmagnetization 122 of the pinned layer 116.

According to one approach, a seed layer 124 may be positioned below thepinned layer 116 in the film thickness direction 140 to initiate adesired crystalline structure in the layers deposited thereabove. In oneapproach, a seed layer 124 may include Ta. In some approaches, anunderlayer (not shown) may be positioned above the seed layer. In oneapproach, an underlayer may include Ru.

In another approach, a capping layer 126 may be positioned above thefree layer 106 to protect the underlying layers during manufacture, suchas during high temperature annealing. In some approaches, the cappinglayer 126 may include Ta/Ru, or some suitable material known in the art.

A lower electrode 128 and an upper electrode 130 may be positioned neara bottom and a top of the memory element 100, respectively, in oneapproach. The lower electrode 128 and the upper electrode 130 may beconstructed of a non-magnetic, electrically conductive material of atype known in the art, such as Ru, TaN, Au, Ag, Cu, etc., and mayprovide an electrical connection with a circuit 132. The circuit 132 mayinclude a current source, and may further include circuitry for readingan electrical resistance across the memory element 100.

The magnetic free layer 104 has a magnetic anisotropy that causes themagnetization 110 of the free layer 104 to remain stable in one of twodirections perpendicular to the plane of the free layer 104. In a writemode, the orientation of the magnetization 110 of the free layer 104 canbe switched between these two directions by applying an electricalcurrent through the memory element 100 from the circuitry 128. A currentin one direction will cause the memory element to flip to a firstorientation, and a current in an opposite direction will cause themagnetization to flip to a second, opposite direction. For example, ifthe magnetization 110 is initially oriented in a downward direction inFIG. 1, applying a current in a downward direction through the element100 will cause electrons to flow in an opposite direction upward throughthe element 100. The electrons travelling through the reference layerwill become spin polarized as a result of the magnetization 108 of thereference layer 102. These spin polarized electrons cause a spin torqueon the magnetization 110 of the free layer 104, which causes themagnetization to flip directions.

On the other hand, if the magnetization 110 of the free layer 104 isinitially in an upward direction in FIG. 1, applying an electricalcurrent through the element 100 in an upward direction will causeelectrons to flow in an opposite direction, downward through the element100. However, because the magnetization 110 of the free layer 104 isopposite to the magnetization 108 of the reference layer 102, theelectrons with an opposite spin will not be able to pass through thebarrier layer 106 to the reference layer 102. As a result, the electronshaving an opposite spin will accumulate at the junction between the freelayer 104 and barrier layer 106. This accumulation of spin polarizedelectrons causes a spin torque that causes the magnetization 110 of thefree layer 104 to flip from a downward direction to an upward direction.

In order to assist the switching of the magnetization 112 of the freelayer 106, the memory element 100 may include a spin polarization layer134 positioned above the free layer 106. The spin polarization layer 134may be separated from the free layer 106 by an exchange coupling layer136. The spin polarization layer 134 has a magnetic anisotropy thatcauses it to have a magnetization 138 with a primary component orientedin the in plane direction (e.g., perpendicular to the magnetization 112of the free layer and the magnetization 110 of the reference layer 104).The magnetization 138 of the spin polarization layer 134 may be fixed inone approach, or may move in a precessional manner as shown in FIG. 1.The magnetization 138 of the spin polarization layer 134 causes a spintorque on the free layer 106 that assists in moving its magnetization112 away from its quiescent state perpendicular to the plane of the freelayer 106. This allows the magnetization 112 of the free layer 106 tomore easily flip with less energy being utilized to flip themagnetization 112 in response to applying a write current to the memoryelement 100.

The memory element 100 described in FIG. 1 is intended to providecontext to the various embodiments described herein. The structures andmethods described herein in accordance with various embodiments maycomprise a portion of the memory element 100 described in FIG. 1 and/orused in conjunction with the memory element 100, in various approaches.

Now referring to FIG. 2, a portion of a magnetic random access memory(MRAM) structure 200 that includes a magnetoresistive cell 202 is shownaccording to one embodiment. The MRAM structure 200 may be operated andutilized as understood by those of skill in the art, with any specialuse cases being specified in accordance with an embodiment herein. Thememory element 100 described in FIG. 1 may be used as themagnetoresistive cell 202 of FIG. 2 in accordance with embodiments thatstore data in MRAM. In one embodiment, an MTJ element may be used as themagnetoresistive cell 202.

The MRAM cell 200 also includes a bitline 204 that supplies currentacross the magnetoresistive sensor stack 202 from a current source 218.The bitline 204 may include any suitable material known in the art, suchas TaN, W, TiN, Au, Ag, Cu, etc. An extension layer 206 electricallyconnects the magnetoresistive sensor stack 202 with the bitline 204. Theextension layer 206 may include any suitable material known in the art,such as Ru, Ta, etc. A source terminal 205 is coupled between themagnetoresistive sensor stack 202 and a channel layer 208, the channellayer 208 further being in electrical contact with a n+ layer 210. Thechannel layer 208 may include any suitable semiconductor material knownin the art, such as Si, Ge, GaAs-compounds, etc. The n+ layer 210 mayinclude any suitable material known in the art, such asphosphorous-doped silicon, arsenide-doped silicon, doped silicon claddedwith TaN, W, TiN, Au. Ag, Cu, etc., and is electrically connected to thevoltage source 218 via a sourceline 212, which may include any suitablematerial known in the art, such as TaN, W, TiN, Au, Ag, Cu, etc.Positioned across the channel layer 208 is a word line 214 which mayinclude any suitable material known in the art, such as TaN, W, TiN, Au,Ag, Cu, etc. On either side of the n+ layer 210 are shallow trenchisolation (STI) layers 216 which provide electrical insulation betweenadjacent the n+ layer 210. Moreover, although not specifically shown,electrically insulative material may be positioned around the variouslayers shown in FIG. 2, as would be understood by one of skill in theart.

The development of arrays of three-dimensional (3D) structures thatinclude multiple perpendicular (pMTJ) sensors provides higher density ofnon-volatile memory in an MRAM array. Conventional methods to form thearrays of 3D structures of multiple pMTJ sensors has been challengingdue to limitations of processing temperature of pMTJ sensors. Studies ofp-MTJ engineering have shown that the p-MTJ structure can only withstandtemperatures under 400° C. and duration of processes to not exceed 3hours. Several degradation processes of the pMTJ sensor structure willoccur when the structure is exposed to thermal conditions that exceed400° C. and/or 3 hours of processes. For example, under these extremeconditions, the 3D structures of pMTJ sensors will experienceinter-metallic diffusion along the stack of pMTJ sensors, sidewall etchbyproduct diffusion, boron dopant diffusion from free/reference layerpin-hole formation through MgO, etc. Thus, it would be desirable to beable to form an array of 3D structures of stacked pMTJ sensors at lowertemperatures and shorter processing times.

Various embodiments described herein present a MRAM device that includesan array of 3D structures in which each 3D structure has alternatingpMTJ sensors with ohmic contact layers in a vertical direction. Themethodology as described herein to form the array of 3D structuresincludes simple alternating thin-film deposition. In some approaches, aswill be described below, the alternating thin-film deposition may bedeposited in a single chamber, thereby resulting in a high yield ofwafer production. In sharp contrast, conventional methods of formationof 3D structures for MRAM devices involve multiple chambers fordeposition of layers of the 3D structures and thus result in longerproduction times.

Furthermore, as various embodiments describe herein, a parallelconnection of pMTJs and thin film transistor in all vertical levels ofeach 3D structure may be formed in a single step conformal channeldeposition over the pillar shape of the 3D structure. According tovarious embodiments, the methodology to form an array of 3D structuresas described provides a highly efficient process to create high densitybit/cell arrays thereby reducing wafer production costs in memorytechnology.

Thus, as presented below, a plurality of pMTJ cells may be verticallystacked and etched into long pillars in a single step. Further, theshortened processing time as described will allow cost effectiveformation of multiple pMTJ devices, with each 3D structure includinggreater numbers of pMTJ cells. According to one embodiment, a processingmethod allows alternating deposition of a pMTJ and an inter-pMTJconducting buffer layer deposition without component element diffusionand structural defects.

Now referring to FIG. 3A, a bird's eye view of a portion of a MRAMstructure 300 that includes a vertical 3D structure of multiple stackedpMTJ sensors is shown according to one embodiment. The MRAM structure300 may be operated and utilized as understood by those of skill in theart, with any special use cases being specified in accordance with anembodiment herein. The memory element 100 described in FIG. 1 may beused as a memory element in accordance with embodiments that store datain MRAM. In one embodiment, an MTJ element may be used as themagnetoresistive cell.

FIG. 3B illustrates a bird's eye view of a larger portion of themagnetic memory device 350 showing a plurality of 3D structures 304 a,304 b. Each of the 3D structures 304 a, 304 b may be formed adjacent toeach other in the x-direction with multiple gate regions 302 a, 302b-302 n. Forming a grid array, the 3D structures may also be formedadjacent to each other in the y-direction along an electrode 332 in they-direction. As shown in FIG. 3A, each gate region 302 n may have gatewordlines 303 parallel at each vertical level.

FIG. 3C represents a schematic drawing of a cross-sectional view of alarger portion of a magnetic memory device 350, according to oneembodiment, showing multiple 3D structures 304 a, 304 b-304 n andassociated gate regions 302 a, 302 b-302 n. According to variousembodiments, a gate region may include one or more gate layers.

Looking back to FIG. 3A, according to one embodiment, the structure 300is shown as one 3D structure 304 where a sourceline 305/bitline 307 maybe in the vertical direction of the 3D structure 304. The gate region302 a, 302 b-302 n may be positioned orthogonal to the verticaldirection of the 3D structure 304 and a sourceline 305/bitline 307. Thelocations of the sourceline 305/bitline 307 are drawn together as thelines run parallel in the vertical direction of each 3D structure.However, it is important to note that the sourceline 305 is notconnected to the bitline 307 within the vertical 3D structure, but maybe connected in an associated circuit, as shown later in FIG. 3F.Operation voltage or current may be applied to bitline 307 or sourceline305 separately. Each gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may be coupled to aportion of the 3D structure 304 where a magnetoresistive cell may bepositioned. In some approaches, the magnetoresistive cell may be a pMTJsensor 306, as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D.

In one embodiment, a 3D structure 304 may include a hardmask layer 310(FIG. 3C) at the top portion of the 3D structure 304. Along the sidewallof the 3D structure 304 may be channel material 308 with a gatedielectric material 312 that couples the gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 nwith the 3D structure 304. In some approaches, the 3D structure 304 mayinclude silicon.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic device includes a substratehaving a source region with a first conductivity. Looking to the drawingin FIG. 3C, the array of 3D structures 304 a, 304 b-304 n may bepositioned in a vertical direction above a substrate 318 that includes asource region 320. In some approaches, the substrate 318 includes asemiconductor material, for example, silicon. In some approaches, thesource region may have a n+type conductivity. In other approaches, theconductivity of the source region may be a metal.

According to one embodiment, each 3D structure 304 includes a series oflayers stacked in a vertical direction, wherein the vertical directionis a z-direction orthogonal to an xy plane of the substrate. Each 3Dstructure 304 may include dielectric layer positioned above thesubstrate, a plurality of a set of magnetic tunnel junction layerspositioned above the dielectric layer, and a buffer layer positioned inbetween each set of magnetic tunnel junction layers thereof.

Each 3D structure may include a channel material on a surface of atleast one sidewall of each 3D structure and a gate dielectric materialpositioned on the channel material on the surface of at least onesidewall of each 3D structure.

Looking to FIGS. 3A-3B, each 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n may be apillar. In preferred approaches, each 3D structure 304 may be acylindrical pillar. In various approaches, a 3D structure 304 a, 304b-304 n may include a dielectric layer 316 positioned above thesubstrate 318 and below the first pMTJ sensor 306. In some approachesfor optimal memory operation, the 3D structure of stacked pMTJ sensors306 may be isolated from the source region 320 (source-line) with adielectric layer 316 therebetween. Thus, the portion of each 3Dstructure 304 a, 304 b-304 n including the buffer layer 314 and thedielectric layer 316 may be isolated from source region 320 (sourceline)by a sourceline selector transistor, as shown in FIG. 3E. A source linetransistor may form a source line channel 363 (dashed line).

Each 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n may have a plurality of pMTJsensors 306. For example, but not meant to be limiting, each verticalchannel may include stacks of pMTJ sensors 306 in multiples of 4, 8, 16,etc.

In one approach, a pMTJ sensor 306 may include the following layers: aseed layer, an underlayer, a synthetic antiferromagnetic seed layer, asynthetic antiferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic coupling layer,a ferromagnetic coupling layer, a reference layer, a barrier layer, afree layer, and a capping layer. In some approaches, each layer mayinclude multiple layers. It is important to note that the layers of thepMTJ sensor 306 as disclosed herein serve only as an example and are notlimiting in any way, as various embodiments may include additional orless layers to form a pMTJ sensor. In some approaches the bottom layer(e.g. bottom electrode, seed layer, etc.) and/or top layer (e.g. upperelectrode, capping layer, etc.) of each pMTJ sensor may include TaN.

In one embodiment, each 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n may include abuffer layer 314 positioned above and below each pMTJ sensor 306 stack.In some approaches, the buffer layer 314 may be conductive. In someapproaches, the buffer layer 314 may include a metallic material. Forexample, but not meant to be limiting, the buffer layer 314 may includeNi, Au, Pt, Al, or a combination thereof. In some approaches, the bufferlayer 314 may include an intermetallic layer. For example, but not meantto be limiting, the buffer layer 314 may include Ni/Au, Ti/Al, Ta/Au, ora combination thereof.

The upper layer of each 3D structure may include a hardmask layer 310.In some approaches, the hard mask layer 310 may include one of thefollowing TaN, TiN, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n may include achannel material 308 on a surface of at least one sidewall 309 of each3D structure. In some approaches, the channel material 308 may includeInZnO₂, ZnO, InZnGaO, or a combination thereof.

In addition, the 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n may include a gatedielectric material 312 on the channel material 308 on the surface of atleast one sidewall 309 of each 3D structure. In some approaches, thegate dielectric material 312 may include SiO₂, ZrO₂, HfO₂, Al₂O₃, or acombination thereof.

In an exemplary approach, the buffer layer 314 of the 3D structure formsa low barrier Schottky contact with the channel material 308 on thesidewall 309 of the 3D structure. Preferably, the buffer layer 314 formsan ohmic contact with the channel material 308 on the sidewall 309 ofthe 3D structure.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 3C, each 3D structure 304 a, 304b-304 n may have a bottom at the surface of the substrate 318, a top atthe top layer of a hardmask layer 310, and a sidewall 309 extendingbetween the bottom and the top, wherein a gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 nof each vertical level a-n may extend across a cavity region 311 betweenat least one sidewall 309 of each adjacent 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304n in an x-direction, wherein the x direction is orthogonal to ay-direction in the xy plane. The gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may becoupled to at least one sidewall 309 of each 3D structure 304 a, 304b-304 n in the x-direction.

According to one embodiment, each gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may becoupled to the gate dielectric material 312 of each 3D structure 304 a,304 b-304 n.

As shown for the 3D structure 304 n in FIG. 3C, each vertical level of agate region 302 a-n may form a gate wordline 303 a-n that may serve asgate electrodes of the transistor, according to one embodiment. Forexample, a gate region 302 a represents the gate region in the 1^(st)vertical level of the 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n. The gate region302x represents the gate region of the dielectric layer 316 of the 3Dstructures 304 a, 304 b-304 n.

Looking back to FIG. 3A, a sourceline 305/bitline 307 may be a verticalchannel of each 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n. The gate wordline 303 nfunctions in each gate region 302 n, such that the gate wordline 303 nis orthogonal to the sourceline 305/bitline 307.

Looking to inset FIG. 3D from the Circle 3D of FIG. 3C, a cross-sectionof a thin film transistor channel is shown. FIG. 3D illustrates aportion of each 3D structure 304 a, 304 b-304 n at a buffer layer 314and a pMTJ sensor 306 at certain vertical level in certain gate biasconfigurations. In one approach, a transistor channel may be formed bytouching channel material 308 with gate region 302 a. In exemplaryembodiments, a wordline channel layer may be formed at points where thegate region 302 a is touching the gate dielectric material 312 that ispositioned along the channel material 308 at the sidewall 309 of thepMTJ sensor 306 in the 3D structure 304 a, 304 b. In instances when thevoltage of the wordline is high, the transistor channel is turned on,and thus a bypass channel 360 (small dash line). In such a case, thepMTJ sensor 306 is not included in the channel.

In another approach, when the voltage of the wordline is low, thetransistor channel is turned off, and thus a pMTJ channel 362 (largedash line) may be formed. In such a case the pMTJ sensor 306 is includedin the channel.

In some approaches, the bypass channel 360 in every vertical level ofthe 3D structures 304 a, 304 b-304 n and gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 nmay have a source contact and a drain contact formed by the ohmiccontact material of the buffer layer 314. In other approaches, the pMTJchannel 362 in every vertical level of the 3D structures 304 a, 304b-304 n and gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may have a source contact anda drain contact formed by the ohmic contact material of the buffer layer314. In various approaches, the source contact and drain contact may beinterchangeable in the symmetric transistor. For example, whenever oneterminal has higher electrical potential than the other, the higherpotential terminal may be regarded as a drain. In one approach, under aparticular bias condition, a drain terminal of a lower level channel mayalso be viewed as a source terminal of one level higher channel in whichthe metal in the buffer layer may be bridging two channels in theadjacent vertical level.

In one embodiment, each gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may include asecond semiconductor material having a second conductivity. In someapproaches, the semiconductor material of the gate region 302 a, 302b-302 n may be the same as or different from the semiconductor materialof the source region 320. In some approaches, the conductivity of thegate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may be a n-type conductivity. In otherapproaches, the conductivity of the gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n maybe a metal. Further, the conductivity of the semiconductor material ofthe gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may be the same as or different fromthe conductivity of the semiconductor material of the source region 320.

In some approaches, the semiconductor material of the gate material ofthe gate region 302 a, 302 b-302 n may be the same as or different fromthe semiconductor material of the source region 320. In some approaches,the gate material of the gate layer may include W, TiNi, TaN, TiN, andTi.

In one embodiment, the gate region may have an isolation region aboveand below the gate region. In some approaches, the isolation region mayinclude a semiconductor material. In some approaches, the isolationmaterial may be the same as or different from the semiconductor materialof the substrate.

FIG. 3F illustrates a top down view of a magnetic memory device 350including a portion of an array of the 3D structures 304 having cavityregions 311 there between, according to one embodiment. In someapproaches, the 3D structures 304 may be arranged in a hexagonally closepacked (HCP) array, a square array, or arranged in any other suitableconfiguration as would become apparent to one skilled in the art uponreading the present disclosure.

Looking to FIG. 3F, in an exemplary approach, the 3D structures may beformed at a distance d in the y-direction in order to prevent a wordlinebridge from forming between adjacent 3D structures in the y-direction.If two 3D structures are formed too close together in the y-direction,then the gate wordlines of the parallel gate regions in the y-directionbetween each 3D structure may bridge thereby forming a wordline bridge.

As particularly shown in FIG. 3F, an isolation material may be presentin a portion of the cavity region 311 (see FIG. 3C) between the 3Dstructures 304. In various approaches, the isolation region materialpresent in the cavity regions 311 may extend the full distance betweenadjacent 3D structures 304 such that the isolation region material is incontact with both adjacent structures.

As evident from FIG. 3F, the sourceline 305 a, 305 b and bitline 307 a,307 b of each 3D structure 304 may be connected to a sourceline/bitlinecircuit 364 via source wires or a continuous plane of metal (a sourcemetal layer). A sourceline/bitline circuit 364, as shown in the expandedview, may have multiple pairs of sense amplifiers 370 and biasgeneration block 372 per bitline 307 a, 307 b and sourceline 305 a, 305b. The sense amplifier 370 and bias generation block 372 may be muxed368 so that either sense amplifier or bias generation block may beactivated depending on the target operation (e.g. program operation,read operation, etc.). Each bitline 307 a, 307 b may be connected with aplurality of a drain terminals (e.g. the top portion of pMTJ) oftransistors positioned in the direction of running bitline 307 a, 307 b.Each sourceline 305 a, 305 b may be connected with a plurality of asource terminals of multiple transistors in the direction of sourceline305 a, 305 b. Moreover, each wordline 303 a, 303 b may connect the gateelectrode with a plurality of transistors in the row direction.

In some approaches, each 3D structure 304 in a single column along anelectrode 332 in a y-direction may be connected by a sourceline 305 orbitline 307 for each 3D structure. As also evident from FIG. 3F, thegate regions 302 may surround each of the 3D structures 304 and may beconnected to one another and to a wordline driver circuit 366 via gatewires or a continuous plane of metal (a gate metal layer). As shown inthe expanded view of the wordline driver circuit 366, thevoltage/current for wordlines may be generated and selectively activatedbased on target address in the memory array.

For a magnetic memory device 350, there will be n-wordlines per rowbecause of vertical stacking, for example wordline 303 a indicates awordline in the first row at the 1^(st) vertical level, wordline 303 bindicates a wordline in the first row at the 2^(nd) vertical level, andat the top, wordline 303 n indicates a wordline in the first row at then^(th) vertical level. Further, wordline 333 a indicates a wordline inthe second row at the 1^(st) vertical level, wordline 333 b indicates awordline in the second row at the 2^(nd) vertical level wordline, and333 n indicates a wordline in the second row at the n^(th) verticallevel.

As shown in the wordline driver circuit 366, a bias generation block 376may generate bypassing wordline voltage and GND. A demux 374 in the gatedriver may be designed so that unselected wordlines may be automaticallybiased with bypassing wordline voltage from bias generation block 376.In some approaches, a selected wordline may be biased to GND by demux374 block.

In some approaches, each 3D structure in a single row of a gate region302 in an x-direction may be connected by a wordline 303 of the gateregion 302.

According to various embodiments, the magnetic memory device 350 asdescribed herein may have 4F² to 6F² architecture such that a memorycell functions at each and every possible location, that being each andevery crossing of a wordline and a bitline.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show examples of a sourceline/bitline map of themagnetic device during a Read Operation and a Write Operation,respectively, according to one embodiment. A memory operation, includingwriting information, erasing information, and reading informationincludes mechanisms for selectively selecting target physical memorycells which may be physically located in different vertical levels.Therefore, various embodiments described herein demonstrate a legitimatememory operation (e.g. writing, erasing, and reading) on all physicalmemory cells. A plurality of vertical channels may be connected by apair of a sourceline 405 and a bitline 407 in the direction of the pairmay be run. Wordline 403 may be running in an orthogonal directional topairs of a bitline 407 and a sourceline 405, thereby allowing acapability of selecting physical memory cells at each and everyintersection of wordline 403 and pairs of a bitline 407 and a sourceline405. Moreover, a plurality of wordlines 403 may be formed in thevertical direction. In a preferred embodiment, physical memory cellslocated at only one vertical level may be activated per memory operationwithout disturbing the state of memory cell in other vertical levels. Byapplying bypassing signals on all unselected wordlines, thin filmtransistor channels may be turned on and subsequently forming bypassingchannels all the way to the target memory cell. The bypassing channelsmay be programmatically configurable to form a conducting channel alongvertical channel in a way that voltage and current biasing applied bybitline or sourceline may be directed only to target memory cells.

As shown in the Read Operation of FIG. 4A, sourcelines 405 may be biasedat read voltage, Vrd, by a circuit 464. This read bias may be appliedacross target pMTJ. Read current, determined mainly by the resistancestate of the selected pMTJ cell, may be picked up by bitlines 407 andeventually delivered to the circuits 464. Therefore, in this operation,sourceline 405 may be connected by bias generation block 472 in thecircuit 464 whereas bitlines 407 may be connected to sense amplifier 470in the circuit 464.

As shown in the Write Operation of FIG. 4B, State ‘1’ (high-resistancestate) may be written into pMTJ if current flow through pMTJ is upwardwhereas state ‘0’ (low-resistance state) may be written into pMTJ ifcurrent flow through pMTJ is downward. In this bias configuration, bitsequence of ‘010’ may be written into the first vertical level pMTJ inthe first, second, third pillar.

Now referring to FIGS. 5A-5B a method 500 for forming a magnetic deviceis shown according to one embodiment. The method 500 may be performed inaccordance with the present invention in any of the environmentsdepicted in FIGS. 1-4, among others not specifically described, invarious approaches. Of course, more or less operations than thosespecifically described in FIGS. 5A-5B may be included in method 500, aswould be understood by one of skill in the art upon reading the presentdescriptions.

Looking to FIG. 5A, method 500 may begin with operation 502. Operation502 includes forming a source region above a substrate, the sourceregion comprising a first semiconductor material having a firstconductivity. In some approaches, where the first conductivity may havean n-type conductivity. In other approaches, where the firstconductivity may be a metal.

Operation 504 includes forming an array of three-dimensional structuresabove the substrate. Operation 504 involves two sub-operations, 504 aand 504 b as described below.

Operation 504 a involves forming layers above the source region in anorder as follows: a first buffer layer, a dielectric layer, a secondbuffer layer, a first perpendicular-magnetic tunnel junction sensor, athird buffer layer, a n^(th) perpendicular-magnetic tunnel junctionsensor, a (n+2)^(th) buffer layer. In various approaches, forming of thepMTJ sensors may include deposition of the following layers: a seedlayer, an underlayer, a synthetic antiferromagnetic seed layer, asynthetic antiferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic coupling layer,a ferromagnetic coupling layer, a reference layer, a barrier layer, afree layer, and capping layer. In one embodiment, materials thatcomprise a pMTJ stack may be deposited in a single physical vapordeposition (PVD) chamber with several different target materials, forexample Mo, Ru, Mg, Ta, Co, Fe, B, etc.

In one approach, operation 504 a of forming the layers of the 3Dstructures includes thin-film deposition may involve atomic layerdeposition in a single chamber at room temperature. In another approach,operation 504 a of forming the layers of the 3D structures includesthin-film deposition may involve plasma-enhanced chemical vapordeposition, preferably in a single chamber at room temperature. Inexemplary approaches, the deposition of pMTJ sensor stacks may not heatthe substrate inside the deposition chamber while deposition occurs.Thus, preferably, the temperature of deposition may remain below 100° C.while pMTJ sensor stack layers are being deposited.

According to various approaches of operation 504 a, the dielectric layerformed above the substrate may include SiO₂, Si₃N₄, HfO₂, Al₂O₃, etc.

Forming a buffer layer involves depositing the buffer layer above eachpMTJ sensor stack so that the layers of buffer and pMTJ sensor alternatein a vertical direction. In various approaches, the buffer layersinclude ohmic contact material that extends in the vertical directionand may include TaN, TiN, W, Ru. etc. The layers of buffer layer may bethe same or different within each 3D structure. The ohmic contactmaterial of the buffer layer may be deposited on the pMTJ sensor stacklayers using methods known by one skilled in the art includingevaporator, sputter, etc. Notably, deposition of the buffer layer may bedone at room temperature, thereby maintaining a low temperatureenvironment during operation 504 a. Thus, the alternate deposition ofpMTJ sensor stack layers and ohmic contact material of the buffer layermay maintain the integrity of the pMTJ sensors.

In some approaches, the buffer layer may be an inter-pMTJ conductingbuffer layer. In an exemplary approach, the buffer layer may be selectedto have small Schottky barrier (preferably, ohmic contact) with thechannel material of the 3D structure (as described below). A smallSchottky barrier may serve as a shorting channel between two adjacentpMTJ sensor layers in case a specific pMTJ sensor in a vertical stack isnot selected for any write/read operation. Exemplary ohmic contactmaterial, such as Ni—Au, Ti—Al, Ta—Au, etc., may demonstrate ohmiccontact behavior with targeted channel materials.

The top layer (e.g. final layer) formed above the substrate duringoperation 504 a may be a hardmask layer of the uppermost pMTJ sensorstack. In one approach, the hardmask material may be TaN, TiN. Invarious approaches, the hardmask material of the top layer may bedeposited on the layers above the substrate using low temperatureprocesses (e.g. below 400° C.) for example, low-pressure chemical-vapordeposition (LPCVD), sputter, evaporator, metal oxide chemical vapordeposition (MOCVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. In preferredapproaches, the hardmask material may be deposited using ALD at lowertemperature.

When all the desired layers for the magnetic device are formed,operation 504 b involves defining an array of three-dimensionalstructures in the formed layers, wherein each three-dimensionalstructure comprises a stack of formed layers in a vertical directionabove the substrate. A vertical direction may be defined as thez-direction orthogonal to an xy plane of the substrate. Further, each 3Dstructure has a bottom at the substrate, a top, and a sidewall extendingbetween the bottom and the top, where a cavity region may be formedbetween the sidewall of each adjacent 3D structure. In one approach,operation 504 b of defining an array of 3D structures of the formedlayers may involve wet chemical etching. In another approach, operation504 b of defining an array of 3D structures of the formed layers mayinvolve ion beam etching. In yet another approach, operation 504 b ofdefining an array of 3D structures of the formed layers may involveplasma etching.

Operation 506 includes depositing a channel material on a surface of aleast one sidewall of each 3D structure. In various approaches, thechannel material may be one or more of the following channel materials:ZnO₂, InZnO₂, InZnGaO, etc. Operation 506 involves depositing thechannel material at a lower temperature where the channel material maybe in an amorphous phase. Preferably, the channel material may be in anamorphous phase rather than a polycrystalline phase in order to allowfor uniform distribution of carrier mobility offered by an amorphousphase without suffering from reduced mobility from the amorphous phase.For example, amorphous ZnO₂ has a big s-orbital that allows s-orbitaloverlaps between adjacent atoms, thereby maintaining high mobility in anamorphous phase. Deposition of the channel material may includethermal/e-beam evaporator, radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering,MOCVD, ALD, etc.

Operation 508 involves depositing a gate dielectric material on thechannel material on the surface of at least one sidewall of each 3Dstructure, thereby forming a thin-film transistor. The dielectricmaterial may include, preferably, HfO₂, ZrO₂, HfO_(x), Al₂O₃, etc.Deposition of the gate dielectric material may occur at low temperature,in a range of about 200° C. to about 250° C.

Looking to FIG. 5B, operation 510 involves forming a first isolationregion in the cavity region above the substrate.

Operation 512 involves forming a first gate region above the firstisolation region in the cavity region.

Operation 514 involves forming a second isolation region above the firstgate region, where a n^(th) gate region is formed above a (n+1)isolation region thereafter until a top of the array of 3D structures.The pMTJ at the top position of each 3D structure is the n^(th) verticallevel of 3D structure. The vertical levels of the 3D structure may bedefined as 1≤k≤n, wherein 1 is the first vertical level above thesubstrate and n is the uppermost (e.g. top) vertical level of the each3D structure, and k^(th) vertical level is a level in between 1 and n.In various approaches, the k^(th) gate region may be coupled to eachk^(th) pMTJ sensor of each 3D structure.

In some approaches, the isolation region may be initially deposited as asacrificial layer, for example, the isolation region may include SiGe.In a following operation, the sacrificed SiGe of the isolation regionmay be replaced with silicon dioxide. In exemplary approaches, theisolation region may be silicon dioxide when the gate region is dopedsilicon.

In other approaches, the isolation region may be silicon. In exemplaryapproaches, the isolation region may be undoped silicon when the gateregion includes a metal.

In some approaches, the gate region may be different from thesemiconductor material of the source region. In another approach, thesemiconductor material of each gate region may be the same as thesemiconductor material of the source region.

In some approaches, the gate region may include at least one metalmaterial, for example, W, TaN, TiN, Ru, etc.

In some approaches, each gate region may be coupled to the gatedielectric material on a surface of a sidewall of a pMTJ of each 3Dstructure.

In an exemplary approach, operations 510, 512, and 514 involve bottom-upprocesses (e.g., processes involving growing the structure). Examples ofbottom up process may include epitaxial silicon growth of gate regionmaterial alternating with material for isolation region. The processdescribed herein allows epitaxy growth of the gate region andalternating isolation region from the bottom, starting on the surface ofthe substrate, to the top of the array of 3D structures. Further,preferably, the semiconductor material of the alternating gate layersmay be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at low temperatures togenerate a low crystallinity of the semiconductor material, for examplesilicon with low crystallinity. Thus, the lower temperatures allow forpreservation of the tall morphology of the pMTJ sensor stacks in the 3Dstructures and the integrity of the pMTJ sensors.

Method 600 as illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6F is an embodiment of method 500for forming a magnetic device. The method 600 may be performed inaccordance with the present invention in any of the environmentsdepicted in FIGS. 1-5B, among others not specifically described, invarious approaches. Of course, more or less operations than thosespecifically described in FIGS. 5A-6F may be included in method 600, aswould be understood by one of skill in the art upon reading the presentdescriptions.

FIG. 6A is an illustration of two operations 502, 504 a of method 500,according to one embodiment. Method 600 shows forming a layer 620including a first semiconductor material above a substrate 618, whereinthe first semiconductor material has n-type conductivity.

As described above for operation 504 a, an array of 3D structures may beformed by depositing layers above the substrate 618 in an order asfollows: a first buffer layer 614, a dielectric layer 616, a bufferlayer 614, a first pMTJ sensor 606, a third buffer layer 614, where thepMTJ sensor 606 layers are deposited alternately with the buffer layers614. The uppermost layer of the layers may be a hardmask layer 610.

FIG. 6B is an illustration of operation 504 b of method 500. As shown,an array of 3D structures 604 may be defined in formed layers. Each 3Dstructure 604 may be a stack of formed layers in the vertical Vdirection above the substrate 618.

FIG. 6C is an illustration of operations 506 and 508 of method 500,according to one embodiment. As shown a channel material 608 may bedeposited on the surface of at least one sidewall 609 of each 3Dstructure 604. A gate dielectric material 612 may be deposited on thechannel material on the surface of at least one sidewall 609 of each 3Dstructure 604.

FIG. 6D is an illustration of operation 510 of method 500, according toone embodiment. A plurality of layers in the cavity region 611 above thesubstrate 618 may be formed. The layers may be formed orthogonal to thevertical direction of each 3D structure. The layers are formed inalternate above the substrate as follows: a layer of isolation region, alayer of gate region. In some approaches, the isolation region may betemporary and include a sacrificial semiconductor material. In someapproaches, the gate region may include a semiconductor material with aconductivity, for example, a n-type conductivity. For example, the layerof temporary isolation region 630 may be a sacrificial material such asSiGe and the layer of gate region 602 may be doped-Si. The layers may bedeposited with the first layer of the temporary isolation region 630 ofSiGe deposited onto the substrate by epitaxy deposition by gas flow. Agate region 602 of doped-Si may be deposited on the first layer of atemporary isolation region 630 of SiGe by epitaxy deposition. Thetemporary isolation region 630 may initially include sacrificialmaterial such as SiGe deposited on a layer of the gate region, and sothe layers are deposited in an alternative manner.

In some approaches, a thickness of each k^(th) gate region may be atleast a thickness of each k^(th) pMTJ sensor of each 3D structure. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 6D, the thickness of the gate layerth_(g) may be defined by at least the thickness of the pMTJ sensor stackth_(mtj). Further, the location of the gate region may be adjacent toeach pMTJ sensor stack of each 3D structure. In some approaches, eachk^(th) gate region may be coupled to the k^(th) pMTJ of each 3Dstructure in an x-direction of the array of 3D structures. The formationof the plurality of alternating layers may be deposited in a singlechamber with alternating gas correlating to the layer to be deposited.

FIG. 6E is an illustration of the formation of the isolation region,according to one embodiment. In some approaches, the temporary isolationregion 630 may be formed of sacrificial material, for example SiGe, andmay be removed from the device by etching, etc. thereby leaving only thegate region 602 formed across the 3D structure 604.

FIG. 6F is an illustration the formation of the functional isolationregion 632, according to one embodiment. Layers of metal oxide,semiconductor material, etc., may be formed in the space defined aboveand below the gate region 602 in the cavity region 611 between the 3Dstructure 604. For example SiO₂ may be formed in the space defined aboveand below the gate region 602.

In one approach as depicted in FIG. 7A, a method 700 to form a 3Dstructure above a substrate following back end of line (BEOL) processesat the kth level of a magnetic device, a layer 735 may be formed bypatterning hardmask material 740, for example TaN, and a semiconductormaterial 742, for example amorphous silicon. For example, the siliconmay be crystallized using metal-induced crystallization.

As illustrated in FIG. 7B, according to one embodiment as describedherein, an nth level of a magnetic device including each 3D structure704 formed with buffer layers 714 alternating with pMTJ sensor 706stacks, and a dielectric layer 716 above the substrate, and a hardmasklayer 710 formed at the top of the 3D structure 704. According to oneembodiment, the gate regions 702 may be formed across the 3D structuresat the location of the pMTJ sensor 706 stacks of each 3D structure andthe layer 732 of SiO₂ above and below the gate region 702. According tomethod 700, using the same techniques as described herein, poly-gate andoxide layers may be grown in alternate.

Now referring to FIG. 8 a method 800 for forming a substrate for BEOLprocesses of forming a magnetic memory device, according to oneembodiment. The method 800 may be performed in accordance with thepresent invention in any of the environments depicted in FIGS. 1-7,among others not specifically described, in various approaches. Ofcourse, more or less operations than those specifically described inFIG. 8 may be included in method 800, as would be understood by one ofskill in the art upon reading the present descriptions.

Method 800 describes an embodiment for forming a substrate to be usedfor BEOL formation of a magnetic memory device as described herein.Operation 802 of method 800 includes recessing a portion between eachk^(th) level source region having a first conductivity of a substrate.The k^(th) level source region may be defined as a source region inbetween a first source region of a first array of 3D structures and an^(th) level source region, e.g. at the top position of the magneticmemory device having multiple arrays of 3D structures. At the topposition of each 3D structure is the n^(th) vertical level of the 3Dstructure. In some approaches, the k^(th) level source region may beformed by dual-damascene BEOL processes using conventional techniques.The k^(th) level source region may include k^(th) level metal, forexample, but not limited to, TaN, W, TiW, Cu, etc.

The portion of the substrate positioned between the k^(th) level sourceregion in the xy plane of the substrate may include silicon oxide. Insome approaches, operation 802 may involve recessing the silicon dioxidefrom the surface of the k^(th) level source region to a level below thesurface of the metal source region.

Operation 804 includes forming a layer of silicon material above thesubstrate, where the silicon material may be amorphous.

Operation 806 includes depositing an oxide material above the layer ofsilicon material.

Operation 808 includes planarizing a surface of the substrate to eachk^(th) level source region. In some approaches, planarizing the surfaceof the substrate that includes oxide material on a layer of amorphoussilicon material to the surface of the metal of the k^(th) level sourcemay involve chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) techniques.

Operation 810 includes annealing a surface of the substrate, where thesurface of the substrate may have portions of k^(th) level source regionhaving metal alternating with portions of silicon. Methods to anneal thesurface may include laser annealing the surface to generate a singlecrystalline silicon structure on the surface of the substrate.

Following completion of method 800, the formed substrate may be used toform an array of 3D structures following a method described herein (seeFIGS. 5A and 5B).

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic representation of method 800, accordingto one embodiment. The substrate 900 includes portions of k^(th) levelsource region 920 having a first conductivity, including a metal, forexample TaN, W, TiW, Cu, etc. The k^(th) level source region 920 may beconnected to the k^(th) level via a level connector 924. The levelconnector 924 may include metal, for example, W, Cu, etc. The substrate900 includes portions of silicon dioxide 922 between the n^(th) levelsource region 920.

Operation 902, as shown in FIG. 9, includes recessing the portions ofsilicon dioxide 922 in the wordline direction to below the surface ofthe k^(th) level source region 920.

Operation 904 includes depositing amorphous/poly-phase silicon 926 withpolygrains above the recessed portions of silicon dioxide 922 and thesurface of k^(th) level source region 920.

Operation 908 includes planarizing the substrate following oxidedeposition. Using conventional techniques such as CMP the upper surfaceof the substrate may be planarized to the upper surface of the k^(th)level source region 920, thereby providing a substantially flat surfaceof the substrate having portions of amorphous/poly-phase silicon 926 andk^(th) level source region 920.

Operation 910 includes annealing the surface of the substrate by laserannealing techniques to form a single-crystalline silicon 928 above theportions of amorphous/poly-phase silicon 926 and k^(th) level sourceregion 920.

FIGS. 10-15 show a wafer in various intermediate stages of manufacturein order to illustrate a method for manufacturing epitaxially growntransistors for source line selection in a magnetic memory array. Withreference to FIG. 10, a substrate 1002 is provided. The substrate 1002can be a material such as Si as part of a silicon wafer. A plurality ofn+ doped regions 1004 are formed into a surface of the substrate 1002.The n+ doped regions 1004 can be formed by locally doping selectedregions of the substrate 1002 with a doping material such as As or P.Isolation trenches 1006 can be formed to electrically isolate a row ofn+ doped regions 2004 from other rows of n+ doped regions. The isolationtrench 1006 can be formed of an electrically insulating material. Adielectric layer 1008 is deposited over the surface of the substrate1002, over the n+ doped regions 1004 and over the isolation trenches1006. The dielectric layer 1008 can be a material such as SiOx or SiNx.

With continued reference to FIG. 10, a gate material layer 1010 isformed over the dielectric layer. The gate material 1010 can be amaterial such as W, TiNi, TaN, TiN, and Ti, and is formed to define aword line such as previously described. A dielectric material 1012 isdeposited over the gate material 1010. The dielectric material 1012 ispreferably an oxide, such as silicon oxide or a metal oxide (such asHfO₂, Al₂O₃, etc.), preferably silicon oxide. A layer of material thatis resistant to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP stop layer) 1014 isdeposited over the dielectric layer 1012. The CMP stop layer 1014 ispreferably a nitride, such as SiNx.

Then, with reference to FIG. 11, a mask structure 1102 is deposited overthe CMP stop layer. The mask 1102 can include various layers, such asbut not limited to a hard mask layer an anti-reflective layer and apatterned photoresist layer. The mask 1102 is configured with openingsthat will define semiconductor structures, as will be seen.

A material removal process such as reactive ion etching or ion millingis then performed to transfer the image of the mask structure 1102 ontothe underlying layers 1108, 1010, 1012, 1014 by removing portions ofthese layers that are exposed through the openings in the mask structure1102. After the material removal process has been performed sufficientlyto reach the n-doped regions 1004, the mask structure 1102 can beremoved, leaving a structure such as that shown in FIG. 12.

Then, with reference to FIG. 13, a gate dielectric material 1302, suchas SiO₂, HfO₂, Al₂O₃ or ZrO₂, is deposited by a conformal depositionprocess such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapordeposition (CVD). A protective layer 1304 is then deposited over thegate dielectric layer 1302. The protective layer 1304 is preferably amaterial having a desired etch selectivity so that it can be removed byetching (such as reactive ion etching) while leaving the underlying gatedielectric material 1302 substantially intact. For example, if the gatedielectric material 1302 is SiO₂ or HfO₂, the protective layer 1304could be Si₃N₄. The protective layer 1304 is preferably deposited by aconformal deposition process such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) orchemical vapor deposition (CVD).

An anisotropic material removal process such as ion milling is thenperformed to preferentially remove horizontally disposed portions of thegate dielectric layer 1302 and protective layer 1304. This materialremoval process is performed sufficiently to remove the gate dielectricand protective layer 1302, 1304 at the bottom of the openings so as toexpose the n+ doped regions 1004 of the substrate 1002. A materialremoval process such as reactive ion etching is then performed to removethe protective layer 1304, leaving the gate dielectric and forming astructure such as that shown in FIG. 14. The reactive ion etching ispreferably performed using a chemistry that preferentially removes thematerial of the protective layer 1304.

After gate dielectric layer 1302 has been removed at the bottoms of theopenings, a surface cleaning can be performed on the surface of theremaining gate dielectric 1302. The surface cleaning can be performed asone or more iterations of oxidation and etching steps. After the surfacecleaning, the surface of the gate dielectric layer 1302 can bepassivated, such as by exposure to nitrogen.

Then, with reference to FIG. 15, epitaxial silicon 1502 is grown to fillthe previously formed openings. In addition to filling the openings, theepitaxial silicon 1502 extends above the openings and may also cover theouter surface of the layer 1014, etc., as shown in FIG. 15. Then, anoptional layer of oxide 1504 may be deposited. A chemical mechanicalpolishing is then performed to remove excess silicon, leaving astructure as shown in FIG. 16. The CMP process is terminated when thenitride CMP stop layer 1014 is reached or may be continued slightly intothe nitride CMP stop layer 1014. The optional, additional oxide layer1504 can be useful to prime the CMP process resulting in improved CMPprocess results. The optional additional oxide layer 1504 could be amaterial such as SiO₂ or one of various other metal oxides, such asHfO₂, Al₂O₃, etc.

Then, with reference to FIG. 17, a series of electrically conductivemetal contacts structures 1702 are formed over each of the epitaxial Sistructures 1502 and dielectric layers 1302. The contact structures 1702are embedded in an oxide layer such as SiO₂ and, at this point in theprocess, the contacts 1702 and surrounding oxide 1704 may have co-planarupper surfaces. The contact and oxide structures 1702, 1704 can beformed by a process that includes, first forming the contact structures1702, such as by forming a mask and electroplating or sputter depositingan electrically conductive material such as Cu, Au, Ag, etc. Then, alayer of oxide material 1704 can be deposited over the formed contactstructures 1702. The oxide layer 1704 can be deposited by sputterdeposition of a material such as SiO₂. Then, a chemical mechanicalpolishing process can be performed to expose the contacts 1702 throughthe oxide 1704, leaving a planar structure such as that shown in FIG.17.

FIG. 18, shows a top-down view as seen from line 18-18 of FIG. 17. Afterforming the contacts 1702 and surrounding oxide 1704, an etching processis performed to remove oxide material 1704 only within the regionsenclosed by the dashed lines 1802. This can be accomplished by forming amask over the surface of the contacts 1702 and surrounding oxide 1704,wherein the mask has openings in the regions defined by the dashed lines1802. The etching process can be a reactive ion etching that isperformed using a chemistry that is chosen to preferentially remove theoxide material 1704, leaving the contacts 1702 substantially intact.This etching forms a recessed trench in the oxide layer 1704 having ashape such as indicated by the dashed line 1802.

After the etching process has been performed, a layer of amorphouspoly-phase silicon 1902 is deposited, followed by a chemical mechanicalpolishing (CMP), leaving a structure as shown FIG. 19. FIG. 19 is across sectional view as seen from line 19-19 of FIG. 18. As shown inFIG. 19, the CMP process is performed sufficiently to expose theelectrical contacts 1702 through the tops of the deposited silicon 1902.A laser annealing can then be performed to cause the deposited silicon1902 to form a single crystalline structure.

The above process results in an array of vertically disposed epitaxiallyformed transistors. After these transistors have been formed, withreference to FIG. 20, an array of three dimensional MRAM elements 2002can be formed over each of the transistor elements. These MRAM elements2002 can be similar to the MRAM elements 304 described above withreference to FIG. 3C, except that the bottom transistor described inFIG. 3E is replaced by the above described epitaxially grown transistorstructures. This use of the above described epitaxially grown transistorstructure prevents current leakage between various memory elementpillars along a source line.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should beunderstood that they have been presented by way of example only and notlimitation. Other embodiments falling within the scope of the inventionmay also become apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the breadthand scope of the invention should not be limited by any of theabove-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only inaccordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

1. A magnetic random access memory array, comprising: a substrate havinga sourceline formed therein; a pillar structure comprising a pluralityof magnetic memory elements; and a transistor located between thesourceline and the pillar structure, the transistor being functional toselectively electrically connect the pillar structure with thesourceline, the transistor comprising epitaxial semiconductor material.2. The magnetic random access memory array as in claim 1, wherein thepillar structure further comprises at least one buffer layer separatingthe plurality of magnetic memory elements from one another.
 3. Themagnetic random access memory array as in claim 1 wherein the transistorfurther comprises: a column of epitaxial semiconductor material; a gatedielectric material formed at a side of the column of epitaxialsemiconductor material; and a gate material adjacent to the side of thecolumn of epitaxial semiconductor material such that the gate dielectricmaterial is located between the gate material and the column ofepitaxial semiconductor material.
 4. The magnetic memory random accessmemory array as in claim 3, wherein the column of epitaxialsemiconductor comprises Si.
 5. The magnetic memory random access memoryarray as in claim 3, wherein the gate material comprises one or more ofW, TiNi, TaN, TiN, and Ti.
 6. The magnetic memory random access memoryarray as in claim 3, wherein the gate material comprises one or more ofW, TiNi, TaN, TiN, and Ti and the gate dielectric material comprises oneor more of SiO₂, HfO₂, Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂.
 7. The magnetic random accessmemory array as in claim 1, wherein the sourceline comprises an n+ dopedregion formed in the substrate.
 8. The magnetic memory random accessmemory array as in claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises asemiconductor material.
 9. The magnetic memory random access memoryarray as in claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises Si and thesourceline comprises an n+doped region formed in the Si.
 10. A magneticrandom access memory array comprising: a substrate; a sourceline formedon the substrate; a plurality of pillar structures formed over thesubstrate, each of the pillar structures comprising a plurality ofmagnetic memory elements; and a plurality of transistors each transistorbeing located between the sourceline and one of the plurality of pillarstructures, the transistor being functional to selectively electricallyconnect the pillar structure with the sourceline, the transistorcomprising epitaxial semiconductor material.
 11. The magnetic randomaccess memory array as in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality ofpillar structures further comprises at least one buffer layer separatingthe plurality of magnetic memory elements.
 12. The magnetic randomaccess memory array as in claim 10, wherein the transistor furthercomprises: a column of epitaxial semiconductor material; a gatedielectric material formed at a side of the column of epitaxialsemiconductor material; and a gate material adjacent to the side of thecolumn of epitaxial semiconductor material such that the gate dielectricmaterial is located between the gate material and the column ofepitaxial semiconductor material.
 13. The magnetic random access memoryarray as in claim 12, wherein the column of epitaxial semiconductormaterial comprises Si.
 14. The magnetic random access memory array as inclaim 12, wherein the gate material comprises one or more of W, TiNi,TaN, TiN, and Ti.
 15. The magnetic random access memory array as inclaim 12, wherein: the column of epitaxial semiconductor materialcomprises Si; the gate material comprises one or more of W, TiNi, TaN,TiN, and Ti; and the gate dielectric material comprises one or more ofSiO₂, HfO₂, Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂.
 16. A method for manufacturing a magneticrandom access memory array, the method comprising: forming a sourcelinein a semiconductor substrate; depositing dielectric layer over thesubstrate; depositing a gate material over the dielectric layer;depositing a dielectric fill layer; performing an etching to form atleast one opening in the dielectric fill layer and the gate material inat least one region over the sourceline; and growing an epitaxialsemiconductor into the opening.
 17. The method as in claim 16, whereinthe epitaxial semiconductor is Si.
 18. The method as in claim 16,further comprising, after depositing the epitaxial semiconductor,performing a chemical mechanical polishing.
 19. The method as in claim18 further comprising after performing the chemical mechanicalpolishing, forming a memory element pillar, the memory element pillarincluding a plurality of magnetic memory elements separated by one morebuffer layers.
 20. The method as in claim 19, wherein the plurality ofmagnetic memory elements are tunnel junction sensors.